Written Answers Friday 19 August 2005

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many alcohol-related deaths there have been in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.

George Lyon: The information requested in given in the following table.

  Alcohol-Related Deaths in Scotland 1999-20041

  

 
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004


Argyll and Clyde
109
134
144
155
156
126


Ayrshire and Arran
63
77
76
86
94
85


Borders
9
8
13
14
11
17


Dumfries and Galloway
10
17
21
22
25
22


Fife
46
65
50
68
52
56


Forth Valley
39
50
51
53
54
52


Grampian
68
80
88
73
75
77


Greater Glasgow
290
305
347
371
370
356


Highland
39
57
43
57
48
57


Lanarkshire
122
110
118
149
153
153


Lothian
135
156
170
171
172
171


Orkney
2
5
8
4
6
7


Shetland
1
1
5
1
2
6


Tayside
73
61
82
88
111
119


Western Isles
7
3
3
9
13
10


All Scotland
1013
1129
1219
1321
1342
1314



  Note: 1. 1999: International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes 291, 303, 305.0, 425.5 and 571.0 – 571.3. 2000 – 2004: International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, codes F10.0 – F10.9, I42.6 and K70.0 – K70.9.

Crime

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the crime figures were in each police force area in each month since July 2004 (a) in total and (b) broken down into (i) crimes of violence, (ii) crimes involving the use of a knife, (iii) drunk and disorderly behaviour, (iv) breach of the peace, (v) racially-motivated crimes and (vi) crimes of religious/sectarian violence.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is not available centrally.

Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which individuals and organisations it consulted in preparing the draft Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill and, of these, which responded with written evidence.

Rhona Brankin: Prior to the issue of the draft Crofting Reform Bill, the Executive issued for consultation a White Paper Crofting Reform: Proposals for Legislation . Approximately 2,500 copies were sent out to various organisations and individuals who had either intimated an interest in receiving consultation papers on the various land reform issues or who we considered would be directly affected by the proposals in the white paper or those individuals and organisations we believed would be interested in responding to the proposals. These are shown at List 1.

  Consultation also took place with the Consultative Panel on Crofting prior to the issue of the white paper on crofting. The membership of the panel is shown at List 2:

  Following consultation on the white paper proposals we received 57 written responses. Of those 57 responses four wished to remain confidential. The names of the others is shown at List 3. Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) officials also attended seven public meetings in the crofting areas to discuss the proposals contained within the draft white paper.

  List 1

  Consultees on the White Paper on Crofting Reform

  All Scottish MSPs

  All Scottish MPs

  All Scottish Lords

  All Scottish MEPs

  Political Parties

  Scottish Parliament

  Local Authorities in Crofting Areas

  Major Stakeholder Groups such as

  
 Scottish Crofting Foundation
 Scottish Rural Property and Business Association
 National Farmers Union of Scotland
 Crofters Commission
 Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
 Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
 Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations
 Non Departmental Public Bodies
 Legal Deposit Libraries
 Solicitors and Land Agents
 Crofting Assessors
 Crazings Clerks and Committees
 Community Councils in crofting areas
 SEERAD Area Offices


  List 2

  Members of the Consultative Panel on Crofting

  Scottish Landowners' Federation

  National Farmers' Union of Scotland

  Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in Scotland

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  Scottish Crofters Union

  Deer Commission for Scotland

  The National Trust for Scotland

  Stornoway Trust

  Assynt Crofters Trust

  The Highland Council

  Cllr Angus Graham and Cllr Roddy Murray, Western Isles Council

  Western Isles Council

  COSLA

  Shetland Islands Council

  Valuation Office

  Argyll and Bute Council

  Crofting Law Group

  Scottish Land Court

  Borve and Annishader Trust

  Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw

  Mr Derek Flynn MacLeod and MacCallum

  Mr Magnus D Houston

  Mr Alexander M Murray

  John Muir Trust

  Mr Simon Fraser, Anderson MacArthur and Co

  Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland

  Insitute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland

  List 3

  White Paper on Crofting Law Reform List of Responses

  

Name or Organisation
Category


Sports Scotland
Public Body


Richard a Price, Shetland
Crofter


Brodies
Solicitor/Land Manager


Scottish Land Court 
Judiciary


Hugh Donaldson, Argyll
Crofter


Peter J F Dodge, Shetland
Crofter


Committee of Scottish Clearing Bankers
Commercial


Isobel Howat
Individual


RSPB
Environmental/Landowner


Argyll Tourist Board
Public Body


SCF North Uist
Crofter Organisation 


J M MacGregor, Sutherland
Crofter


Michael Otter, Sutherland
Crofter 


Bidwell’s
Property Consultants


Andrew Harmsworth
Individual


British Association for Shooting and Conservation
Sporting Organisation


Sir Crispin Agnew
Advocate


Netta MacKenzie
Crofter


Registers of Scotland
Public Body


J Ramsay, Shetland
Croft Owner-Occupier


Ordnance Survey
Public Body


Robin Currie, Islay
Councillor


Bessie Hendry, Shetland
Landowner


Laid Grazings Committee, Sutherland
Crofter Organisation


Kiltarlity Community Council
Community Council


Scottish Natural Heritage
Public Body


Scottish Landowners Federation
Landowners Organisation


Shetland Islands Council
Local Authority


NFU Scotland
Farmers Organisation


Law Society of Scotland
Lawyers Organisation


SCF Uist and Barra
Crofters Organisation


Shetland Agricultural Task Group
Public Bodies Group


MacLeod and McCallum
Solicitors


Crofters Commission
Public Body


Stornoway Trust
Crofter Landowning Trust


SCF
Crofters Organisation


MOD Defence Estates Scotland
UK Government Department


National Trust for Scotland
Environmental/Landowner


Malcolm G Strang Steel
Solicitor


Dr Jean Balfour
Landowner


HIE
Public Body


Strathan Grazings Committee, Sutherland
Crofter Organisation


Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar
Local Authority


Elisabeth West/ Serena Mason, Wester Ross
Crofters


Drinishadder and Scadabay Grazings Committee
Crofter Organisation


Calum MacRury, Barra
Crofter


Maywick Grazings Committee, Shetland
Crofter Organisation


Seafield Estate, Inverness-shire
Landowner


Alexander Murray, Sutherland
Crofter


SCF East Sutherland
Crofter Organisation


Mrs H J MacKenzie, Shetland
Croft Owner-Occupier


SAC
Public Body


Highland Council
Local Authority

Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the inclusion of provision in the draft Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill for croft tenancies to be sold on the free market.

Rhona Brankin: The draft Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill does not include any provision allowing croft tenancies to be sold on the free market.

  The draft bill provides that every assignation of a croft will be subject to the consent of the Crofters Commission. If the proposed assignation is to any member of the crofter's family, the commission must consent unless the assignation would adversely affect the interests of either the estate or the public at large or the interests, or sustainable development, of the local crofting community. I do not envisage that there will be many instances where the commission's intervention will be necessary in family assignations.

  The same criteria will also apply where the proposed assignation is to someone who is not a member of the crofter's family but, in that case, the commission may also decline to consent in a number of circumstances which relate to the suitability, ability or personal circumstances of the proposed assignee or if there are reasonable grounds for concern over the assignee's proposals for the croft.

  The price, or other consideration, for the assignation agreed between the crofter and proposed assignee will be of no consequence to the commission as consenters. That will be so whether the parties are related or not.

  If a crofter seeks to assign his croft to someone other than a member of his family, it may well be that he will have publicly advertised its availability, subject to the consent of the commission to its eventual assignation. There is nothing new or objectionable about a crofter seeking a successor to the croft in this way rather than renouncing his tenancy to the landlord (which he may still do if a suitable successor cannot be found).

Environment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to establish an expert group to devise a strategy to achieve further reduction in dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls.

Rhona Brankin: A UK Dioxins Strategy Group, which includes a full range of key stakeholders and experts on dioxins, has been established by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to help inform work on developing a UK Dioxins Action Plan.

  The principal role of the group is to inform government on further measures that could be taken to continue reducing the release of dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the environment. The group will appraise the results of the government’s monitoring and scientific research programmes to underpin policy development on dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs, as well as having an input into the identification of areas for future action to be included in the UK Dioxins Action Plan. The Scottish Executive and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency are members of the group drawing up the action plan.

Environment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to devise a strategy to achieve further reduction in dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Rhona Brankin: As a Party to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, the UK is obliged to take measures to reduce unintentional releases of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs with the goal of their continuing minimisation and, where feasible, ultimate elimination. As part of this work, the Scottish Executive and other UK administrations are developing a UK Dioxins Action Plan, to form part of the UK’s National Implementation Plan for the Convention, to be submitted to the United Nations Environment Programme in 2007.

Environment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what inventories of emissions from sources of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls to air, water and land currently exist and how they are monitored.

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current levels are of emissions from sources of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls to air, water and land.

Rhona Brankin: Source inventories provide a register or catalogue of pollutant emissions to the environment from a variety of sources. The UK National Atmospheric Emission Inventory (NAEI) is compiled by the National Environmental Technology Centre on behalf of the Scottish Executive and the other UK administrations. The NAEI is the standard reference emissions inventory for the UK and includes emissions for a wide range of important pollutants including dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

  The latest estimates of pollutant emissions to air in the UK (1970–2002), together with an overview of the major source trends are available on the NAEI website http://www.naei.org.uk/reports.

  Information for 2003 will be published later this year.

  At present, there is limited information on emissions of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs into the water and soil environments. However, UK source inventories are being reviewed with a view to updating emission factors and emission estimates for air, water and land. The project will include emissions from new sources and is due for completion in October 2005: the final report will be publicly available in January 2006.

  In addition to the NAEI, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s Pollution Release Inventory (SPRI) reports annual dioxin emission from certain regulated processes. The SPRI includes details of those organisations or companies responsible for emissions and the volume (above a predetermined threshold) that has been released. The SPRI uses data submitted annually by operators of regulated processes.

  The latest emissions data, contained in the SPRI, are available on SEPA’s website:

  http://www.sepa.org.uk/eper/default.aspx.

Forestry

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the forest planting rates in each of the last five years, also showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Rhona Brankin: The following table provides details of the forest planting rates in each of the last five years, also showing year-on-year percentage changes. The figures refer to areas for which Forestry Commission Scotland paid grants and the area planted by Forestry Commission Scotland on the national forest estate.

  

Year ended 31 March
Area of new planting for which Forestry Commission Scotland paid grants (Hectares)
Area of restocking for which Forestry Commission Scotland paid grants (Hectares)
Area of new planting on Forestry Commission Scotland estate(Hectares)
Area of restocking on Forestry Commission Scotland estate (Hectares)
Total
(Hectares)
% Change 
(+ or -)


2001
11,627
3,561
92
4,449
19,729
 


2002
7,880
2,884
100
4,874
15,738
-20%


2003
6,634
3,489
95
4,987
15,205
-3%


2004
6,703
3,618
90
5,195
15,606
+3%


2005
5,647
4,193
35
5,283
15,158
-3%

Genetically Modified Crops

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any horizontal gene transfer from genetically modified plants has been detected in or adjacent to fields used for farm-scale evaluations.

Rhona Brankin: In a Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs funded research project, the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology investigated the level of gene flow between cultivated crops and wild relatives in or adjacent to fields used for the Farm Scale Evaluations (FSE) of genetically modified crops. Scottish sites were included in this study. The results of the study were recently published. No tests were carried out to establish whether any horizontal gene transfer has taken place from plants to other organisms such as bacteria or fungi.

Health

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the provision of physiotherapy for the rehabilitation of stroke victims after they are discharged from hospital.

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any circumstances where stroke victims are provided with physiotherapy for six weeks only, following which time patients are required to make their own arrangements, and what its position is on such an issue.

Mr Andy Kerr: I am not aware of this happening, but I would be happy to investigate any specific instances that were brought to my attention. There is no agreed standard for the amount, frequency or length of physiotherapy follow-up for stroke patients. However, guidelines produced by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network specify that all patients who have difficulties with movement following a stroke should have access to a physiotherapist specialising in stroke. Physiotherapy treatment should be based on an assessment of each patient’s unique problems. Where clinicians identify a need, patients should be able to access physiotherapy within an NHS setting.

  Stroke patients living in the community who have been discharged from hospital normally access physiotherapy as out-patients visiting hospital departments or day hospitals, normally with transport provided; by domiciliary physiotherapists; by multidisciplinary community rehabilitation teams visiting patients at home, or by care assistant staff delivering therapy under the direction of physiotherapists and occupational therapists.

Health

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is supporting people with a terminal illness who would prefer to die at home, as highlighted by the Marie Curie Cancer Care: Scotland Supporting the Choice to Die at Home campaign.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18106 on 4 August 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Health

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the level of provision of palliative care is sufficient to meet the needs of the population.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS boards are responsible for ensuring that they provide the services that their populations need. Generally, palliative care is available for cancer patients across Scotland. We know that other patients have difficulty in accessing hospice care. The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care have been funded by the Big Lottery to look at how access to palliative care for people with life threatening conditions other than cancer can be increased and will be producing a report in the autumn of 2006.

  However, NHS boards have a duty to ensure that all their patients receive the care they need, and this includes pain relief at the end of life whether delivered in a hospice or not. We would be very concerned if this were not being done.

  Many hospitals have dedicated palliative care teams. ISD Scotland 2004 figures show 59 doctors working within palliative care medicine in Scotland, 22 of whom are consultants.

Higher Education

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students have (a) applied for entry and (b) been accepted to study pharmacy courses at universities in each of the last five years.

Nicol Stephen: Information on the numbers of applicants and acceptances is not held by the Scottish Executive. These statistics are a matter for the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

Higher Education

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the drop-out rate for student (a) podiatrists, (b) dieticians, (c) occupational therapists, (d) speech and language therapists, (e) orthoptists, (f) physiotherapists, (g) radiographers, (h) prosthetists and orthotists and (i) art, drama and music therapists has been in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally.

Housing

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the level of payment for home loss set under the Home Loss Payment (Specification of Amount) (Scotland) Regulations (SI 1989/47) in respect of when an increase is anticipated and the level of such increase and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is currently considering the appropriate level of home loss payments for Scotland. Should a change in levels be required, then we will consider bringing forward proposals in due course.

Housing

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that the decrofting of land at Taynuilt in Argyll for the construction of 10 luxury houses was in the interests of crofting.

Rhona Brankin: It is good for crofting for the Crofters Commission to regulate effectively and within the limits of its powers.

  The provision of housing is identified in crofting legislation as a reasonable purpose for which land may be decrofted. In the Taynuilt case, the elected local authority had determined that it was in the public interest, and indicated in the local plan, that the land in question should be used to meet housing demand in the Taynuilt area. Outline planning permission had been granted.

  It is for the Crofters Commission to consider the interests of any crofting community. It is not for the commission to act as a secondary planning authority.

Housing

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that the decrofting of land at Taynuilt in Argyll for the construction of 10 luxury houses was in the interests of promoting affordable housing.

Rhona Brankin: Whether or not the land at Taynuilt was decrofted is irrelevant so far as the promotion of affordable housing is concerned.

  The provision of housing is identified in crofting legislation as a reasonable purpose for which land may be decrofted. In the Taynuilt case the democratically elected local authority had determined that it was in the public interest, and indicated in the local plan, that the land in question should be used to meet housing demand in the Taynuilt area. Outline planning permission had been granted.

  It would not have been in the public interest for the unelected Crofters Commission to take a decision which would impede, complicate and add to the cost of, but would be unlikely to prevent, that planned change of use.

Housing

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authority houses have been sold to sitting tenants since 1979.

Malcolm Chisholm: The numbers of local authority dwellings sold to sitting tenants since 1979 are accessible on-line through the data library in the publications and data section of the Scottish Executive housing statistics branch website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/housing/hsbref (sales to sitting tenants, table 1). More recent data can be found in the latest Housing Trends statistical bulletin which is also accessible on-line in the publications section.

Housing

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) empty homes and (b) homes where the owner is not a permanent resident there are (i) in each local authority area and (ii) nationally, also expressed as a percentage of all homes.

Malcolm Chisholm: The latest available information on unoccupied dwellings – i.e. dwellings which are not the sole or main residence of a household – comes from information supplied by councils to the Executive from council tax billing systems at 6 September 2004. This source cannot distinguish (a) empty homes from (b) homes where the owner is not a permanent resident. The available information shown in the following table for (i) each council area and (ii) nationally and expressed as a percentage of all dwellings in each council area; distinguishes unoccupied dwellings which were exempt from council tax and dwellings in receipt of 50% discount. Unoccupied exempt dwellings include dwellings awaiting improvement or demolition and dwellings unoccupied for less than six months. Dwellings in receipt of 50% discount include dwellings unoccupied for more than six months, second homes and some dwellings let as holiday accommodation.

  

Local Authority 


Number of Unoccupied Dwellings
As a Percentage of all Dwellings in the Council Area


Unoccupied Exemptions
50% Discount*
Unoccupied Exemptions
50% Discount*


Number
Number
Percentage
Percentage


Aberdeen City 
2,094
3,165
2.0
3.0


Aberdeenshire
1,446
3,485
1.4
3.4


Angus
852
1,956
1.7
3.8


Argyll and Bute
726
4,716
1.6
10.4


Clackmannanshire
339
396
1.5
1.8


Dumfries and Galloway
834
2,650
1.2
3.8


Dundee City 
3,449
1,714
4.8
2.4


East Ayrshire
469
798
0.9
1.5


East Dunbartonshire 
192
290
0.4
0.7


East Lothian 
432
891
1.1
2.2


East Renfrewshire 
612
295
1.7
0.8


Edinburgh, City of
3,093
6,372
1.4
2.9


Eilean Siar
668
1,317
4.9
9.6


Falkirk 
601
969
0.9
1.4


Fife 
2,294
5,180
1.4
3.2


Glasgow City 
11,036
4,282
3.8
1.5


Highland 
3,071
6,748
2.9
6.5


Inverclyde
1,237
1,375
3.1
3.5


Midlothian 
313
221
0.9
0.7


Moray
652
1,464
1.6
3.7


North Ayrshire
651
2,405
1.0
3.8


North Lanarkshire 
1,153
1,031
0.8
0.7


Orkney Isles
159
687
1.7
7.2


Perth and Kinross
1,119
2,899
1.7
4.5


Renfrewshire
2,039
1,242
2.5
1.5


Scottish Borders
1,128
2,157
2.1
4.1


Shetland
192
645
1.9
6.4


South Ayrshire
467
1,178
0.9
2.3


South Lanarkshire 
2,153
1,452
1.6
1.1


Stirling 
594
1,014
1.6
2.7


West Dunbartonshire 
693
903
1.6
2.1


West Lothian 
423
513
0.6
0.7


Scotland
45,181
64,410
1.9
2.7



  Source: As reported by local authorities in the statistical return "Council Tax Base 2004".

  Note: Dwellings in receipt of 50% discount include holiday homes let for less than 140 days in the year. Dwellings let as holiday accommodation for 140 days or more are liable for non-domestic rates rather than council tax and are therefore not included in the table.

  The analysis covers dwellings of all tenures. Available information from the council tax base on occupied and vacant dwellings does not distinguish tenures.

Housing

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households have been on each local authority’s housing waiting list in each of the last three years, showing year-on-year percentage changes and expressed also as a ratio of households to local authority-owned homes.

Malcolm Chisholm: The numbers of households on waiting lists for each local authority are published on an annual basis for 2000-01 onwards in the quarterly Scottish Executive Statistical Bulletin (Housing Series)  Housing Trends in Scotland. This is available online in the publications section of the housing statistics branch reference site at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/housing/hsbref (bulletins HSG/2001/6, HSG/2002/3, HSG/2003/4 and HSG/2004/4).

  The published table shows the position at the beginning and end of the year. The most recent figures are for 2003-04 and the 2004-05 figures will be published at the end of August 2005.

  The Housing Trends bulletins also show the numbers of local authority dwellings.

Licensing

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what process it used in deciding which individuals to appoint to the National Licensing Forum and what organisations it consulted prior to making the appointments.

George Lyon: The National Licensing Forum is a short-term Ministerial Advisory Group and, as such, does not come within the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland. Nevertheless, ministers are fully committed to the principle of appointment on merit and adopted this general approach in establishing the forum.

  Candidates for appointment were therefore tested against pre-agreed criteria and recommendations were made to ministers using a list of those individuals considered to meet those requirements. In order to achieve a balanced membership, consideration was also given to geographic and sectoral spread in making the final selection.

  Since appointments to the forum were made on the basis of individual merit rather than in terms of representation of specific organisations, formal nominations were not sought from any organisation.

  The forum has also agreed a list of "corresponding members" which includes all local authority chief executives, Licensing Board clerks and 26 other organisations. Those members have the right to receive agendas, papers and minutes and to feed in their views to any forum member or to the Scottish Executive at any time. Copies of the full list of corresponding members are available from the Scottish Executive on request.

  Direct consultation will also take place with licensed trade and other organisations.

Licensing

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for deciding not to designate the National Licensing Forum as a public body.

George Lyon: The classification of the forum as a short-term Ministerial Advisory Group is in line with Scottish Executive guidance on the establishment of new public bodies. Ministerial Advisory Groups are task specific, can be established for up to two years and are then subject to review or dissolution.

Licensing

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what rights of appeal or complaint exist in relation to the appointments it has made to the National Licensing Forum (NLF), given the forum’s status as a ministerial advisory group, and how such rights compare with those that would exist if the NLF were a public body.

George Lyon: There are no specific or formal rights of appeal available in relation to appointments to Ministerial Advisory Groups. Complaints can be made to the Scottish Executive in writing under our established complaints procedure.

  An independent complaints procedure is operated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland in respect of appointments to those public bodies within her remit.

Licensing

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial interests have been declared by the members of the National Licensing Forum and whether it will publish such interests.

George Lyon: Consideration was given to whether or not members’ financial interests should be published. Scottish Executive guidance confirmed that this would be disproportionate to the status and role of the forum and was, therefore, not required.

  However, members have all agreed to abide by an obligatory code of conduct. Copies are available from the Scottish Executive on request.

Licensing

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what safeguards it has put in place to avoid conflicts of interest between National Licensing Forum (NLF) members’ own employment and commercial responsibilities and their responsibilities as members of the NLF in the course of their deliberations.

George Lyon: Forum members have been appointed for their individual knowledge, expertise and experience. They are required to abide by the remit and terms of reference of the forum and by a code of conduct. Copies of both documents are available on request from the Scottish Executive.

Licensing

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from licensed trade organisations in respect of its announcement of the establishment of the National Licensing Forum.

George Lyon: We have received representations from three organisations - the Scottish Beer and Pub Association, the Scottish Licensed Trade Association and the British Hospitality Association - requesting membership of the forum.

Licensing

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in what way the members of the National Licensing Forum (NLF) reflect "a fair sectoral spread" of the hotel, restaurant and pub sectors as referred to in the Executive’s letter of 22 June 2005 to the Scottish Beer and Pub Association.

George Lyon: Forum members have been appointed for their individual knowledge, expertise and experience.

  Forum members are considered to represent a fair sectoral spread across the following sectors:

  Training Bodies

  Promotional Health Bodies

  Medical profession

  Members Clubs

  Licensed Trade – on sales

  Licensed Trade – off sales

  Licensing Boards

  Voluntary sector

  Legal sector

  Communities

  Police.

  Five members have served on previous groups and this is considered to offer a good balance in terms of continuity and fresh thinking. Several members have direct or indirect knowledge of the hotel, restaurant and pub sectors from their individual professional perspective.

Licensing

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the membership of the National Licensing Forum to reflect fully the pub, hotel and restaurant sectors.

George Lyon: The National Licensing Forum has been established on an interim basis for a two year period. Membership of the forum will be reviewed by that time.

Licensing

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations wrote to it asking that they or their members be considered for membership of the National Licensing Forum.

George Lyon: The Scottish Beer and Pub Association requested in writing that it be considered for membership of the National Licensing Forum.

Scottish Enterprise

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice has been sought by Scottish Enterprise to determine if the industrial action being undertaken by Careers Scotland staff complies with relevant legislation.

Nicol Stephen: It is for Scottish Enterprise as the employer to consider the legal implications of any industrial action being undertaken by Careers Scotland staff.

Scottish Enterprise

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will now intervene in the industrial dispute between Scottish Enterprise and the staff of Careers Scotland with a view to reaching a settlement.

Nicol Stephen: Under the terms of its Management Statement, Scottish Enterprise has full responsibility for conducting its own pay negotiations within the terms of a remit agreed beforehand with Scottish ministers. It is therefore for Scottish Enterprise, as the employer, to reach a settlement. It is regrettable that the dispute has not yet been brought to a satisfactory conclusion and I will continue to encourage Scottish Enterprise and the unions to resume negotiations as the best way of reaching agreement.

Scottish Enterprise

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what instructions it has issued to Scottish Enterprise in respect of its dispute with the staff of Careers Scotland.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive has not issued any instructions to Scottish Enterprise in respect of the pay dispute between itself and the staff of Careers Scotland. Under the delegated pay arrangements for non departmental public bodies, Scottish Enterprise as the employer, has full responsibility for conducting its own pay negotiations with staff.

Voluntary Organisations

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17721 by Malcolm Chisholm on 28 July 2005, which departments will be involved in determining the use of the increased resources available for the implementation of the Russell Commission’s recommendations and what the timetable is for an announcement on their allocation.

Malcolm Chisholm: Scottish ministers will determine the use of consequential resources. The Minister for Communities is examining how implementation of the Russell Commission’s recommendations could support Scottish Executive volunteering policy. An announcement on this will be made by the end of the year.

Correction

The reply to question S2W-17983, which was originally answered on 10 August 2005, has been corrected: see page 5659 or http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/pqa/wa-05/wa0815.htm.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Parliamentary Expenditure

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the total expenditure on hospitality has been in each of the last three years by the Chief Executive and his staff and what the authorisation procedures are for such expenditure.

John Scott: The total expenditure on hospitality in each of the last three years by the SPCB was:

  2002-03 £62,300

  2003-04 £54,800

  2004-05 £41,500.

  The majority of expenditure on hospitality is in respect of the Parliament’s external liaison activity, involving members, including Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Tartan Day.

  All SPCB expenditure is authorised in accordance with delegated budgetary authority. The SPCB’s overall budget is approved by the Finance Committee and the Parliament in the relevant Budget Act.